Batwoman: The search is off
by AlNerdTrueFan
Summary: Set prior to the events of the series as a search for the missing Beth winds up hitting a deadend, or, rather a conclusion pushed into Jacob Kane's path. A lot of prior to events transpire or work in time with the flashbacks of the first season. So if you were thinking chronological order. A father and daughter one shot.


**Authors note: **So now it is up to three but why stop there? Honestly not in a full commitment mode as of now so sticking with general one shots and in some sense it does help build up the Batwoman base so for this I am focusing on Kate and her father. I kind of want to focus a bit more on child Kate and a bit of a tense moment between father and daughter. So yeah again sticking with K rated before I bridge out to my infinity which is T. Also as usual set prior to the events of the show.

Batwoman: The search is off

Kate Kane used to have a sibling, a twin at that…named Beth. The two of them did most everything together and honestly she would do anything in the world to have those little moments back. However that was not to be, in fact, after what seemed a lifetime of searching for her dear departed sister the search was called off.

It stung like a slap to the face, not that her parents had ever resorted to such action, but that is what her mind went to. She had not only lost Beth but also her mother. And of course her father had moved on and at first Kate rejected the idea that her father could be with anyone else, but, suffice to say she appeared nice and she made some great cookies.

There was a chill in the air this day…sort of like the day she stood on that bridge when Batman had attempted to save her sister and mother…but…had failed to. She opted not to wear a jacket now as she embraced the cold wondering if Beth was really alive…or in fact was dead as everyone presumed.

She let out a howling cry of grief as she took a seat on one of the steps, her arms folded around herself as the cold and the pain cut right through her. Tears fell readily down her cheeks and her lungs felt like they were losing oxygen. The sound of rushing footsteps was heard behind her and she already knew who it was.

"Kate what's happened?" He stood behind her not racing to her side and she knew that he was only trying to respect her private moment; even so, she would do anything just to have someone holding her right now.

"It's Beth dad…we should have looked harder for her. I don't believe she is gone…I can't, I won't. Even if I have to keep searching for her on my own-."

"Kate listen to reason here," her father took a step next to her and she can see that he had bags under his eyes. "Do you think this is easy for me? I would scour the earth for your sister, I would, but the evidence is clear…Beth is gone. If we continue on like this-."

"So you believe she is gone then?" Shen sniffles some, her eyes red from the crying as she didn't want to be in a world without Beth.

Her father heaves a sigh as he looks off into the distance. "I believe in the evidence and I believe that we have been looking so hard, hoping that we'd find her…when the cold hard reality is that she is gone…and she is not coming back-."

"Lies!" Kate stood up as she walked a bit away from her father as she looked up at the sky. The moon was out and she remembered so many nights where she and Beth would talk about the future or talk about how they can cover up the moon with their thumb. Just nonsense at times but it was that sort of thing, that bond of sisters that she would never have with anyone else.

"Kate not so loud. Look, you don't think I miss her?" He walked over to where she stood and he turned her around to face him. "I miss Beth with all my heart, with all my being…but you have a chance to do more with your life now, a chance of moving forward and something tells me Beth would want that for you over you pursuing a ghost-."

"A ghost? How can you say something so…harsh? Beth is no ghost, she is my sister…or was…till you gave up on her!" She attempted to push him away but her father would not budge as he wrapped his arms around her holding onto her.

"I will always love your sister…I will never let her go from my heart…but…I cannot go down this path, not when there is so much we can do for Beth. Kate I know you are feeling this hole of sorts swallowing you up from the inside, and, I wish I could take away that pain because as a father to see your child suffer…it is the worst pain there is."

Kate buried her face into him wanting the pain to be gone. If she could she would have gladly switched places with Beth, or, maybe just having her here with her over not. She finally felt her father let up and she can see that he too was crying.

"I am heading inside now…maybe I'll make us some hot chocolate and tomorrow we can go get us something like a treat…just like we did with Beth. Don't stay out too late." He headed inside leaving her standing there in the cold.

She didn't want to believe any of this was happening…that she would wake up from this dream and there would be Beth seated at her desk with her poetry or playing the cello during family night. However the grim reality was as much as she held onto the belief that Beth was still alive…if she kept down this road looking…it would in fact just be leading her down a path she may not come back from.

She needed to make her peace here and now with the fact that Beth…may not be coming back, ever. Her body trembled and she knew she didn't have any more tears to shed.

"Beth…I don't know where you are, but, I hope that wherever you are that you have found peace, that you can let go and be free. I miss you, a lot, and while I wish I could continue looking for you on my own…I'm still just a kid…and if you are still alive, when I am older…I will do my best to find you…so…guess this is goodbye…for now…"

Kate finally turned as she went to go inside…burying her nails into her palm as she bit down on her trembling lip hoping that Beth was alive, and, someday they would be together again. The thought of Beth being gone forever…she didn't want to accept it and that night she would dream about Beth…and eventually as she grew up she would slowly give up on finding her, but in her heart Beth would always be with her.

**Authors note: **So yeah kind of a difficult one that but it kind of touches on that point when the remains of Beth, supposedly, wind up being discovered convincing Jacob Kane to stop searching for his daughter. Kate of course won't have any of it but a father learning such a thing would be discouraged from looking for someone who is clearly dead. It didn't help matters prior to that or somewhere around then for a mad search and mere inches from each other but poor Beth cannot make a sound. Here we find a father and daughter coming to terms albeit at a different pace from one another but no family should ever have to go through that. Course we all know what happens to Beth in the end.


End file.
